March 20, 2016

On "Meet the Press" today, Chuck Todd called attention to that NYT article we were talking about yesterday, about how GOP leaders are about to unleash a 100-day campaign to block Trump from getting the nomination. But, Todd said, "there is no strategy that they can unite around."

Molly Ball (of The Atlantic) said:

Well, and this whole thing has been a Keystone-Cops operation from the start. I mean, if there were a Republican establishment that had its stuff together...

Trump would say "shit together"...

... and really wanted to make sure Donald Trump didn't get the nomination, the time would have been six months ago. Instead, they've been running around like chickens with their heads cut off, going in different directions. Even now, this is not unified. And the chances of stopping him are very, very small. And as Donald Trump said, you know, he's gotten a lot of flak for saying, "Oh, there'll be riots." But I think it's true that you can't just say to his voters, this large so-far plurality of the Republican party that you don't count, and that we're not going to listen to you. Donald Trump doesn't go away if there's some kind of weird contested convention and they take it away from him.

Todd observed that none of the GOP leaders were talking about actually trying to "woo the Trump voter." No, those are the people who are supposed to step back and wait until their betters manipulate things to produce a non-Trump candidate they're told to vote for. There's no plan to deal with the outrage and resentment these people will feel.

101 comments:

I find it intensely amusing in how the press is besides itself in joy with the Republicans trying get rid of Trump and studiously ignores the party with the real problem-the party whose front runner is the subject of a criminal investigation along with a national security breach the entire Navy could sail through. At least the Republican elders recognize they have a problem (albeit they don't understand the problem) while the Democrats are in deep denial.

Not matter where you place yourself on the moral, political or intellectual high ground, you are going to support a Hillary Clinton presidency, or you are not. All the other options are just fooling yourself. I'm not too interested in the bloviation. You tell me what you are going to do and I'll know all I need to know.

I mean, if there were a Republican establishment that had its stuff together and really wanted to make sure Donald Trump didn't get the nomination, the time would have been six months ago.

Sixth months ago everyone in the Republican establishment was sure Trump would self destruct or be forgotten when Jeb Bush's bankroll started to tell. These people live in their own little beltway world, filtering out all information that doesn't fit their existing notions. That's why Trump exists in the first place.

Todd observed that none of the GOP leaders were talking about actually trying to "woo the Trump voter."

Trump supporters appear to be neither wooable nor persuadable--for them it is Trump and only Trump, regardless of any position he takes at any given time. This raises the question of how they plan to vote down-ballot.

Todd observed that none of the GOP leaders were talking about actually trying to "woo the Trump voter." No, those are the people who are supposed to step back and wait until their betters manipulate things to produce a non-Trump candidate they're told to vote for. There's no plan to deal with the outrage and resentment these people will feel.

Exactly.

Although, their confusion is almost understandable, because up until now, that worked for them. They still don't seem to realize that the only reason Trump exists is because of the outrage and resentment they have already caused by their failures and betrayals in the past. People figure if we are going to get shitty government we might as well get some enjoyment out of it.

Sixth months ago everyone in the Republican establishment was sure Trump would self destruct or be forgotten when Jeb Bush's bankroll started to tell.

So it wouldn't have been necessary. People who aren't already in campaigns don't start these things unless they think things are going awry. It takes time for that to become apparent. Trump was believed to have a low floor (of around 20%) and a ceiling of around 30%. Then came San Bernardino. That got him a little bit higher.

The other candidates were all weak. Kasich picked his spots, and managed to run the gauntlet. Now manybe some didn't understand that money doesn't really mean anything, except when there's not enough.

"There's no plan to deal with the outrage and resentment these people will feel." Is there a plan to deal with the outrage and resentment of the majority of Republicans who oppose Trump, if he comes out on top?

If Trump wins the nomination fair and square and many Repunlicans bolt, then too bad for them. The establishment put up their candidate, the tea party and evnqgelicals put up their candidate, and Trump won. Now the establishment and tea partiers and evangelicals who don't support Trump can stay home or they can coalesce around a wealthy third party candidate like Romney. Romney is worse than Trump for the evangelicals (Trump has taken a pretty size able chunk of evangelicals) and no better for Tea Partiers than Trump. Romney is an incompetent technocrat like Obama. The country club republicans can support Romney but they might as well support Hillary. True, she would propose to raise their taxes a little and Romney proposes to lower them a little. But other than that, the agree with Hillary on a lot of the issues -- amnesty, trade, and wars in the Middle East. They also agree with her on the social issues and also want to continue the PC McCarthyism. Romney's diatribe against Trump is no different than Hillary's. Probably a fair number of independents would vote for Romney as well, so he could get probably 25% of the popular vote with country. Pub republicans and independents. Then when the election is over the country club republicans could become Dems or go independent. But they can't go back to the national GOP because it will be gone. Tax cuts for the rich just isn't a national party platform anymore. And the culture war of abortion and gay marriage is over.

Brooks is, of course, horrified at Trump and his supporters, whom he finds childish, thuggish and contemptuous of the things that David Brooks likes about today’s America. It’s clear that he’d like a social/political revolution that was more refined, better-mannered, more focused on the Constitution and, well, more bourgeois as opposed to in-your-face and working class.

The thing is, we had that movement. It was the Tea Party movement. Unlike Brooks, I actually ventured out to “intermingle” with Tea Partiers at various events that I covered for PJTV.com, contributing commentary to the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Examiner. As I reported from one event in Nashville, “Pundits claim the tea partiers are angry — and they are — but the most striking thing about the atmosphere in Nashville was how cheerful everyone seemed to be. I spoke with dozens of people, and the responses were surprisingly similar.

Brooks is a big government conservative. He's into communitarianism and believes the government should help with it. He doesn't trust the people and thinks they need to be guided by the wisdom of elites.

If Romney runs third party with support from party insiders then let the Dems run the federal government from top to bottom. Vote for Dems in the House and Senate. Any Republican who runs an ad against Trump, then Trump should support that persons Dem opponent and say he would rather deal with them.

Oh, there is a plan! Do not doubt that.The plan involves forming a hands across NY & DC by Media elites on both the Repub and Dem side to loudly denounce Trump supporters as dangerous racists. The Repubs, lots of them, would rather lose the election than win with Trump. Some of them are taking a principeled stand based on what they think the long term impact on the party, some are lashing out against Trump as a person, and some are virtue-signaling for their elite friends. All agree, though, that Trump must be stopped AND that Trump supporters don't matter and should be neither listened to nor respected in any way. If the Repub establishment was in any way willing to listen to and address the concerns of people who nmow support Trump then there would be no Trump now! They weren't, they still aren't, and their plan is to marginalize those people (adopting Leftist tactics and arguments to do so).I don't know if it will work, but I am sure that is what they'll try.

"There's no plan to deal with the outrage and resentment these people will feel." "These people" serving as, for many on the Right, what the African-American serves as for the Democrats. It's not your fault! Forces are mobilized against you! What hogwash! When both major political parties see free trade as a negative we're surely doomed. NRO's Kevin Williamson is pilloried there in comments for stating immutable truths (too lazy to link, wanna know, go there). OK, here's a link to a book I read 8 years ago: http://www.amazon.com/Splendid-Exchange-Trade-Shaped-World-ebook/dp/B006NZ9XTU/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

Trump complaining he can't be expected to get a majority with 17 candidates at outset. But only 3 ever got delegates, and one of them gone. His bar is about 54 per cent from her on. If he can't achieve that against Cruz and Kaisich he's a very weak candidate who deserves his fate.

I thi k you have it wrong, Michael K. The flag shirt guy and woman behind him in the Klan hood were the protesters. The guy who punches and kicks flag shirt guy was presumably a non-protesting attendee.

He is a black man. Amanda says this assault is really bad and vicious, and using Leftist logic the only reason she would say that is her own racial prejudice against black people. Stop being so racist, Amanda!

Also, the guy abo got punched was walking up the aisle with a woman in a Klan hood. In any other context I am sure the Left would have no problem with a black person punching people dressed in Klan outfits (and screaming in their faces, etc) but since the Klan garb wearers now are Leftists suddenly that reaction is highly unacceptable (and, of course, Trump's fault).

I don't care what the protestor was wearing or even saying. Civilized people attending a political rally of a Presidential candidate do not have a right to assault anyone. It was very vicious and what does the color of the skin of the attacker matter? If this guy would've assaulted someone out on the street you'd be outraged

You've never had your ass kicked Fabi? I seriously doubt that seeing how dishonorably you behaved to Chuck who actually trusted your apology to him to be sincere. Most people who act the way you do tend to end up being on the recieving end of an ass whooping. Threats to "stalk" someone? Are you losing your mind? You are truly one creepy weird individual. Actually you seem to be unusually interested in addressing me several times a day, don't speak of stalkerish behavior to me when you do it on a daily basis. Do you wait to see when I'll be commenting? You seem to respond to my comments within minutes, that is strange.

I hate that I'm still under your skin, Amanda. Most people who comment on blogs expect a little give-and-take without internalizing it as you have. I'll try to be nicer to you in the future since your ability to corral your emotional projections is only matched by your poor reading comprehension and unfamiliarity with reason. You can have the last word again, as you've demonstrated that it's very important to you.

@Fabi,,Oh blah blah blah, "give and take"? Who do you think you are speaking to here? I know your type, I've been commenting on blogs for many years and occasionally run across creeps like you. It was exceedingly evident from the very first over the top nasty comment directed at me. My instinct was to completely ignore you. I usually listen to my intuition about certain people, I gave you a chance, it was wasted on you. And yes, I will have the last word here. As I said yesterday, I find you reprehensible, your extreme behavior to people you disagree with illustrates your internal workings. A shrink can help you with that

The protestor wasn't a KKK member. As I understand it, he was holding up a sign that illustrated Trump as the white supremacist. The female protestor was the one with the hood on, also not a KKK member. I assume she was wearing the hood to illustrate Trump's endorsement by white supremacists. It wasn't the best way to protest and I suspect it may have been some sort of effort to actually incite rally goers. Not smart. Not the best way to protest.

"Trump himself had called for the protesters to be removed from the rally after noticing the woman in the KKK hood, and on Sunday morning Trump suggested the protesters had the attack coming, telling ABC’s George Stephanopoulos that, “This happened to be an African American man who was very very incensed that someone a protester would be wearing a Ku Klux Klan outfit.” That man, 32-year-old Tony Pettway, was arrested at the scene and charged with assault. Nothing else is known about Pettway, including whether he is a Trump supporter, as of midday Sunday."

With the GOP frontrunner on stage, a Trump supporter at a rally in Tucson viciously assaulted a protester who was being led away.

The disturbing melee pitted a kicking, punch-throwing Trump loyalist against Bryan Sanders, 33, a protester kicked out of the rally at 3 p.m. Saturday for chanting “liar” amid a rabid crowd. It was yet one more slice of mayhem following Trump and his screwball campaign across the country.

“I feel great that I'm not dead, but I am definitely in physical pain,” Sanders told the Daily News.

The Tucson resident is nursing a swollen jaw and bruised ribcage after his alleged attacker, Tony Pettway, 32, landed a brutal sucker punch to Sanders’ right jaw."

"A Trump protester was punched and kicked several times while being escorted out of a rally in Tucson, Ariz., by police.

Videos show a protester in an American flag shirt holding up a picture of Trump before being punched. Another protester walking right behind him is seen wearing a white KKK-style hood. Police immediately handcuffed the attacker, a black man."

"Things turned violent in Tucson yesterday at a Donald Trump rally. They had already been tense in Phoenix as radical protesters blocked a freeway there and caused trouble any way they could. Sheriff Arpaio obliged them and carted most of them off to jail. In Tucson however, things got real. A couple of protesters (one with a KKK hood) were being led out of a rally by police officers when a black Trump supporter punched, kicked and stomped one of the protesters into the ground. Somehow that didn’t make Druge. Gee, I wonder why. The Trump supporter was arrested by police. I’m sure Trump will ride to the rescue with legal aide any moment now. I’ve warned about this anger and violence being ratcheted up on both sides."

Amanda, did you even look at the video ? The black guy who tore up the sign and punched the guy in the flag shirt was the PROTESTOR! He was handcuffed and taken away by cops. Do you need glasses ?

Amanda is correct. I was shocked to see the strange roll reversal. (i.e. black Trump supporter assaults white guy in a flag shirt) but this is apparently just another example of the unexpected in this campaign.

Amanda is correct. I was shocked to see the strange roll reversal. (i.e. black Trump supporter assaults white guy in a flag shirt) but this is apparently just another example of the unexpected in this campaign.

Not sure why anyone here is surprised at Democrats wearing KKK hoods. The KKK has always been a Dem supporting/supported organization, since its founding in Reconstruction. What is apparently different here is a woman wearing a KKK hood - as I understand it, women weren't allowed in the active KKK, but presumably, there was some sort of auxiliary.

And, most Blacks were Republicans until LBJ and his Great Society, which, of course, bought them off, and simultaneously destroyed Black family structure.

Not sure what the genius step 2 part of this plan will be, but given the performance to date of the party's strategists, it is likely to be worse than going with the pop TV icon the voters are picking. Is Jack Bauer available?

The antidote to the Clintons... is an old Clinton crony who had a nice long chat with Bill before entering the race and agrees with them on almost everything.

The antidote to the GOP establishment that only cares about the donor class... is a member of the Democrat donor class.

The antidote to insufficiently conservative candidates... is the least conservative candidate in the race and perhaps in party history.

The antidote to illegal immigration... is the candidate who has repeatedly flip-flopped on H1-Bs, married an H1-B holder, and repeatedly employed illegal immigrants when Americans were lined up to do the jobs.

The antidote to empty promises and lies... is a candidate who shifts his positions from day to day and speaks documentable lies at a record rate.

The antidote to people who don't care about the little guy... is a billionaire candidate with a record of fleecing people with cons and using eminent domain to make himself richer at the expense of the less fortunate.

The antidote to letting Hillary continue Obama's devastation of the constitution and the country... Is to let a lifelong Democrat destroy the Republican party opposition from within.

If they were that serious about stopping Trump, they'd have gotten behind Cruz by now. The fact that they didn't shows this is more about going "on the record" as opposing Trump in advance of the disaster he will bring about. This isn't much different than the "hard core conservatives" (the Erick Erickson types) of the 2012 cycle who railed about what a poor nominee Romney would be, so they could say they were right afterwards.

There's no chance to stop him from getting nominated, certainly not if the anti-Trump faction is divided by Cruz conservatives and the moderates.

Fascinating. I love/hate this. I love that the Establishment is embarrassed and scrambling. Unfortunately, I agree with Ace that Trump's nomination is going to deliver even more power to the Establishment when he takes the whole ticket down in enormous flames with him on election day. To quote Trump: Sad!

According to the Salt Lake Tribune Ted Cruz has praised Utah Senator Mike Lee for his devotion to the Constitution in terms that strike me as enigmatic at best. He compared Lee to Tolkien's pathetic monster known as Gollum. "For Mike , the Constitution is 'my precious.'" he said.

What a bizarre metaphor. One or more of three possibilities is true. Either: (1) Cruz isn't quite as brilliant as conventional wisdom has it, (2) Cruz has little appreciation of the material he's citing (see 1), or (3) Cruz has idiots on his campaign staff (see 1).

Cruz has also chained himself wrist and ankle to the ever volatile Glenn Beck, who is apparently in the throes of yet another catastrophic psychic crisis, having greeted Cruz as prophecy made manifest... That's cool. I can't think of a better way to win over the evangelicals, can you?

If the GOP elites have a Plan A that involves Ted Cruz supplanting The Donald at the eleventh hour they can kiss it goodbye. Maybe they should skip the A-List plans go directly to Plan 9 (Ah, yes, the resurrection of the dead.)

I don't see how GOP Leaders can woo Trump Voters, as GOP Leaders have consistently ignored that part of the electorate for how many election cycles? And now those voters are suddenly going to think you are paying attention? I think not.

Also surprising is the number of Utahns who said they wouldn't vote if Trump were on the ballot. Sixteen percent said they'd skip the election if Trump and Clinton were their ballot choices, while 9 percent said they wouldn't vote if it was a Trump-Sanders matchup.

Both Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich would beat either Democratic candidate in Utah, the poll found. Sanders came closest against Cruz, with 39 percent of Utahns backing Sanders to 53 percent for Cruz.

The Democratic candidates fare even better against Trump among Utah's many unaffiliated voters. Clinton would win Utah by 17 points, the poll found, while Sanders would see a 36-point victory if the election were held today. The margin of error for unaffiliated voters is nearly 7 percent.

"The Democratic candidates fare even better against Trump among Utah's many unaffiliated voters. Clinton would win Utah by 17 points, the poll found, while Sanders would see a 36-point victory if the election were held today. The margin of error for unaffiliated voters is nearly 7 percent."

I think Trump is very unpopular among the general electorate right now (to be losing handily to Hillary is quite a feat, when even Cruz is beating her by a couple points) but a lot of sorting is going to take place between now and November. GOP voters (like those Utahans) more likely will gravitate back to their party, and Dems are going to side with theirs.

But if the current trend holds and Trump can't bring his party together this will be a disaster for the GOP. Losing the Senate will be a given, and the House might even be up for grabs. Imagine Hillary with a Democratic Congress to go along with her agenda.

Id' say the GOP deserves all of this, but the American people definitely don't deserve it.

"Gahrie: there is no antidote to Trump, that is the problem. Can you (or any other Trump supporter) look at Darrenoia's list and tell us what part of it isn't accurate?"

I think that's just it--Trump fans point out--rightly--that the "business as usual" GOP has long held onto an old playbook that doesn't work anymore, and has done little to curb leftist excesses. But a lot of us are equally disaffected yet see Trump as a way to make a bad problem far worse, like dumping oil on a fire.

Can you (or any other Trump supporter) look at Darrenoia's list and tell us what part of it isn't accurate?

You're asking the wrong guy...I've been taking shit for comparing Trump to Hitler. I think you have to be crazy to support Trump. But that is just it, the Establishment hacks have finally pushed the base so hard that they are irrational in their anger....and guess what? Calling them irrational just pisses them off more, and makes them more committed to Trump.

I support Cruz, and have ever since Carly dropped out. If the Establishment truly gave a shit about anything beyond protecting their own personal power, they would have united behind Cruz months ago.